PCT Newsletter Highlihts for August 2004

According to the August 2004 issue of the PCT Newsletter, the thirty-month time limit for entry into the national phase is now possible for all PCT Contracting States. Now that Serbia and Montenegro has withdrawn its notification of incompatibility, the only remaining designated Offices that have not withdrawn their notification of incompatibility for direct entry are

CH Switzerland
FI Finland
LU Luxembourg
SE Sweden
TZ United Republic
of Tanzania
UG Uganda
ZM Zambia

However, since all of those remaining States are covered by a regional designation (AP or EP), applicants can always enter the regional phase in those States within the time limit under PCT Article 22(3) of 31 months. A list of time limits applicable for each designated/elected Office for entering the national phase under Chapters I and II of the PCT is available here.

An updated table of the "Types of Protection Available via the PCT" has been published in the newsletter.

Also, don't forget that you can file "dummy" applications in the "demo" mode of the PCT-SAFE software. By doing this, you will be able to try the software out and thus be familiar with it once your receiving Office announces that it has started accepting international applications filed electronically using PCT-SAFE. This will reduce the risk of making any mistakes when you start filing real PCT applications electronically.